Hip girl given compensation

Katie Mee was born with her hip joints out of their sockets

A teenager from Leicestershire who has been told she will need a hip replacement operation before she is 30 has won a six figure compensation sum from the NHS.

Katie Mee from Whetstone was born with both hip-joints out of their sockets.

But doctors' failure to spot the 17-year-old's condition means she will suffer for the rest of her life.

Experts say the condition could have been diagnosed with a simple screening of her joints - but Katie Mee was undiagnosed in the first two years of her life.

Normal life

As a result she has had to undergo hospital treatment, and has been told she will definitely suffer arthritis when she is older.

Miss Mee, who is currently studying for her A-levels, said: "I've had to give up some of my favourite hobbies, such as dancing, modelling, obviously due to my operations.

"I still try to lead a normal live, going out into Leicester, clubbing, and things like that.

"But there are still a lot of things my hips stop me doing."

Sister diagnosed

Katie Mee's 11-year-old sister Natalie was also born with developmental hip displacement, but it was diagnosed when she was a baby.

She wore a customised harness for six months which held her knees in a bent position, pushing the hip-joints into their sockets.

As a result she does not have the problems her sister now faces.

Comparing the differing treatment of the two girls, their mother Donna said: "It seems something's wrong.

"We should screen all babies early and if there is a problem we can sort it out very quickly."

But the Leicester West Primary Care Trust - which oversees child public health - said it now screens all newborn babies for the condition.